3–4 finalists in about 2 weeks
- Finalist APractical task94
- Finalist BPractical task91
- Finalist CPractical task88
✓ Structured interview✓ References
XeroMYOBXero Practice ManagerXero Tax
Example pack. Scores out of 100.
Outsource accounting prep to an accountant you hire
For Australian accounting practices that want to outsource accounting preparation: a Philippines-based accountant who prepares workpapers, financial statements and tax return drafts for your reviewers, hired and paid directly by your firm.
- Recruitment fee
- $5,000 once, excl. GST
- Monthly markup
- $0
- Shortlist
- 3–4 in about 2 weeks
- Replacement cover
- 6 months
What they take off your plate
- Chase and organise client source documents and track missing information
- Reconcile ledgers, investigate differences and prepare year-end adjustments
- Prepare workpapers with clear notes and queries for the reviewer
- Draft financial statements for companies, trusts and partnerships
- Prepare draft individual, company and trust tax returns for review
- Prepare BAS and IAS workpapers from client records
- Support SMSF fund accounting and audit preparation where included in the brief
- Update jobs, time and status in your practice management system
Typical salary: $1,800 per month, paid by you directly.Source: Tarino’s typical salary for the role, October 2026.
Software we screen for
- Xero
- MYOB
- Xero Practice Manager
- Xero Tax
- MYOB Practice
- Karbon
- FYI
- BGL Simple Fund 360
- Class
What an offshore accountant prepares across the compliance cycle
When preparation competes with client advice, review queues grow and lodgement dates get tight. An offshore accountant takes defined stages of the compliance workflow off your seniors, so reviewers receive organised, documented jobs instead of raw client files.
- Intake: chase source documents, log what is missing and update the job in Xero Practice Manager, Karbon or FYI.
- Preparation: reconcile ledgers, investigate differences, post year-end adjustments and build workpapers with notes for the reviewer.
- Drafting: prepare financial statements for companies, trusts and partnerships, and draft individual, company and trust returns.
- Quarterly: prepare BAS and IAS workpapers from client records.
Be specific about the mix. Tax preparation, business services and SMSF work are different skills, and an accounting virtual assistant who only chases documents is a different hire again.
What stays with your registered agents
- Review and sign-off of financial statements and returns
- Lodgement through your registered tax agents
- Client advice, engagement decisions and anything needing particular authorisation
Agree permissions and the review process before your accountant starts, so the line between preparation and approval is clear from day one. Our page for accounting practices covers how firms usually split offshore accounting work between bookkeeping and accounting roles.
How we test accountants, and what to look for
Each search typically starts with 1,000+ candidates from job advertising, direct headhunting and referrals through vetted local networks in the Philippines. Out of every 1,000, about 400 (40%) pass CV and quality screening, 200 (20%) the video screen, 100 (10%) the practical assessment and 50 (5%) the structured interview. About 20, or 2%, reach finalist review, and you meet the strongest 3–4, usually within about 2 weeks.
The practical assessment could include a year-end reconciliation and workpaper for a sample trust, with an unexplained difference to investigate. When you interview, ask a finalist to walk you through a file they prepared. Look for numbers that tie, differences that are explained rather than plugged, and queries to the client that are specific enough to answer in one reply.
Outsourced accounting services: monthly markup or a one-time fee
A managed agency charges a fee every month on top of your accountant’s salary, for as long as the role exists. Staff Domain, for example, publishes $1,099 per person per month, about $13,188 a year, plus $1,200 per hire (checked October 2026). Over four years that is about $53,952 in fees.
With Tarino you pay a one-time fee, and your accountant keeps their full salary because your firm pays them directly. Compare agency fees with a one-time fee, or use the offshore staff cost calculator with your own salary figure.
Planning the role around your busy season
Recruit before the work peaks, not during it. A new accountant needs a few weeks on your templates and review notes before tax season, and the Philippines has its own calendar, so check the Philippines public holidays for 2026 against your lodgement dates. If most of your backlog is bank feeds and payables, a bookkeeper may be the better first hire. More than 95% of Tarino placements are still in the role at 6 months, so the time you put into training before tax season tends to stay in the firm. See how we run each search.
How we screen for this role
- 01
Candidate pool
Applicants, headhunted candidates and referrals from vetted local networks build a pool of 1,000+ per role.
100%1,000+ people - 02
CV + quality screening
Experience, stability, written communication, responsiveness and attention to detail.
40%about 400 of 1,000 - 03
Video screening
Communication ability, professionalism and personality.
20%about 200 of 1,000 - 04
Practical assessment
Role-specific tasks test real capability and quality of work.
10%about 100 of 1,000 - 05
Structured interview
Judgement, ownership, communication, problem-solving and independent operation.
5%about 50 of 1,000 - 06
Finalist review
The strongest candidates are reviewed across every assessment stage.
2%about 20 of 1,000 Your shortlist
3–4 finalists with scorecards, practical-task results and independent reference checks, in about two weeks.
3–4people you meet
What an accountant really costs, three ways.
Pick a role. We compare the full cost of the same role three ways: a local hire in Australia, an offshore hire through a managed agency, and an offshore hire made directly with Tarino.
Total cost over 2 years, excl. GST
$230,000 typical salary + 12% super
$43,200 salary + $27,576 agency fees
$43,200 salary + $5,000 one-time fee
$22,57632%
vs a local hire, you keep $209,400
Sources and method
Agency: Staff Domain's published rate, $1,099/month + $1,200 per hire, split across the month 3 and 4 invoices, checked October 2026. Salaries: Tarino’s typical offshore and Australian salary for each role, plus 12% super on the Australian figure. Excl. GST.
Accountant: common questions
Is an offshore accountant the same as outsourced accounting?
Not with Tarino. Outsourced accounting usually means a provider processes your jobs in its own team. An offshore accountant recruited through Tarino is one person you hire directly, working in your practice management system, to your templates and review process. You see their work every day and decide how the role grows.
Will they lodge returns independently?
No. Build the role around your firm's supervision and review process. Your offshore accountant prepares the workpapers, financial statements and draft returns. Review, sign-off and lodgement stay with your registered tax agents, and the access you set in your tax software should reflect that split from the first day.
Can we hire for SMSF or other specialist work?
Yes. Specialist requirements such as SMSF fund accounting in BGL Simple Fund 360 or Class can go into the brief. We assess for them during the search, and the shortlist notes where each finalist would need training, so you are not relying on a job title to prove capability.
Will they work Australian business hours?
The schedule you need goes into the brief, and we confirm each candidate's availability during recruitment. The Philippines is two hours behind AEST, and three hours behind during daylight saving, so a standard Australian business day overlaps well. Agree peak-season hours before the offer is made.
Who hires the accountant, and what does it cost?
You do. You hire and pay your accountant directly, so they receive their full salary. Tarino charges a one-time recruitment fee per hire, with nothing monthly and no markup on salary. The fee is on our pricing page, and Tarino placements come with 6-month replacement cover for the same role.
Let’s find your next superstar.
Book a 30-minute call. No pitch, no pressure, just a straight conversation about your business and whether Tarino is the right fit.
Book a free call